The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-20
NEARLY KILLED BY A WHALE.
The Whale, Mortally Wounded, Es-
capes from the Fisherrnen

ilu{5 Ilplt III lIp1J VI MS mousse III Lue NllidRt
of Amagansett, L. l., at | O'clock on Satur
day afternoon sent n thrill through the en-
tire village, and there followed a noise of
hurrying feet and shouts of the hardy sailor
lads who rushed TO man the whaling boats
ON the beach. Capt. Leak "has raised the
weft went up the cry, and all Amagansett
knew that whale had been sighted off
the shore. In less time than it takes
to tell it Capt. ''JoshN Edwards,
the veteran whaler of the village, who
has already this season added the iukes of
three right whales to the trophies OF other
seasons which lie in his back yard, had his
boat launched in the surf and six strong pair
of arms were pulling out on the water in
search OF the whale. The excitement in "A
short time had permeated the whole village
and the seafaring population, male ald
female, tlocked to the shore and watched for
the coming battle with the whale Two
other boats were manned and prepared to
follow Capt Edwards. In the latters boat
were, besides the veteran commander, his
brother "Gabe,n who, as always on the
whale hunts, acted as boat steerer; Charles
Sanford. Charles milford, Everett Edwards
and Clinton Edwards
There she blows" went up n shout from
the spectators on the shore, and sure enough,
about a quarter of mile off, on a shallow
bar, a geyser of spray was thrown high up
over the waves. The men in Captain Joshs
boat saw the whale spouting and pulled
straight for the spot. "Gabe" stood up in
tine bow OF the boat with two harpoons in
his hand. He is tall, hrawny specimen of
Long Island manhood, and had risen from
sick bed to join in the chase after the whale.
''Im not feeling well, said he, but will
put two irons in her anyhow"
Hardly had he spoken before directly
ahead he saw black patch on the water
about 3 feet square.
STEADY, steady" he cried % Capt
"Josh.n "The whale is on the false bar and
will be aground here in -"
1t was too late The powerful strokes of
the oarsmen had driven the boat hard on
the black shoulder of the whale, which was
showing above the green water. The whale
did not stir as the sharp keel of the boat
grated over his hide. It was bold thing
to do, but Gabe did not hesitate, and the
next instant he plunged the iron harpoon
into the soft blubber of the monster full
twenty-four inches Still the whale did
not stir and a suspicion arose that
it was dead. Once more the powerful
"Gaben drove his harpoon into the yielding
mass, and the effect this time was like
touching off IA magazine with a lighted
match The great black fiukes of the whale
suddenly lifted themselves out of the water
and raised the boat fully ten feet in the air.
II was "a maddened paroxysm Of anguish.
A whirl Of the great black fukes in the air,
as they descended, smashed three oars, a
rowlock and swept "Gaben from the bow
of the boat as it he had been made of paper.
The unfortunate boat steerer was thrown
straight through the air, say the eye-wit-
dropped insensible in the water.
He lay like log on the
waves and his companions in the boat made
desperate efforts to go to his assistance be-
fore he sank. IL was no easy task, for the
wounded leviathan was kicking, plunging,
tbreshing around with his tail and churll-
ing up the sea water in a manner that
made immediate proximity to him any
thing but safe. Capt. Josh yelled "all
astern" at the top of his voice, but with
only three oars left in working order, man
aging the boat was easier said than done.
It they had depended on the three oars the
boats crew would have been left TO the
mercy of the infuriated whale, which had
evidently received mortal wound, for he
spouted blood in profusion. But his death
struggles gradually drew him away frcm
the boat and the rope that bound him to his
enemies was quickly severed by blow
from Ratchet.
Once safe from the terrible sweep of the
fiukes, the oarsmen went to the help of
their boat-steerer, who still fioated insensi-
BILE on the bloody waves. Why he did not
sink and drown was mystery that has not
yet been explained. Capt. Josh pulled his
brother into the boat and they proceeded to
pump the water ont of him after the fashion
taught by the life-saving men, Ii did no
good and not knowing whether they had
live or dead man they pulled back to the
shore. The other boats which had been
manned and started off to follow Capt
Josh returned also with the feel
ings of men attending a funeral
Nha sNfnC an. hn chr he.
whale disappear in the distance. As far as
he could be seen he was still madly lashing
the waves with his tail and kicking up in
the air in the throes of death with the two
harpoons sticking into his shoulders Among
the crowd on the shore TO watch the return
of the boats was Mrs. "Gabe' Edwards.
When she saw her husband lifted out of the
boat and laid on the beach still uncon-
scious, she promptly screamed and tainted.
This added to the dismal ending of the
whale-hunt which had begun amid the
hopeful shouts of the hardy population of
Amagansett.
While the women attended the fainting
Mrs. Edwards the men made another effort
TO pump the sea water out of her husband.
Several quarts were forced out by continu-
Gus action of his arms. but Gabe still re-
manned unconscious. His body was then
lifted into a wagon and taken TO his home
followed by all the villagers. Messengers
were sent hurrying for medical help, and
DR.. Hafsey arrived, and after sounding the
injured mans lungs pronounced him still
alive. Morphine was administered and O
watch kept on the patient all night. He re-
mained in comatose state until 2 a. IN. to-
day. He then turned ever, opened his eyes,
stared at the watcher at the bedside for a
moment and asked, where's the whalep
He was assured that the whale was all right,
and seeming satisfied with the statement,
relnpsed into q stupor. All Of to-day he has
been stupid and his talk more or less inco-
herent, but DR.. Halsey thinks he will re-
cover. He is about 3S years old.
1O-norrow several boats will go out TO
make search for the whale, for 1t is be
lieved that il is dead. IL his body has not
sunk IL will be tawed ashore and converted
into oil and whalebone. This is the fourth
whale of the season 10 appear oil Amagan-
se.t, and the only one which has not been
captured. The Osborne boys, John and
Oliver, Of Bridgohampton, harpooned a
fifty-foot whale week ago and killed him
after an exciting race in which the whale
towed the boys eight miles at a terrible
speed. AS the whales each net about Sl00
IN oil, and from $1,000 % $500 for The
wbalebone, they are prizes not 10 be allowed
tO escape The mishap on SATURDAY has
plunged the whole village Of Amagansett
Into gloom.
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